High-Priced Cohiba Behikes Reach Canada

Cuba's hot new cigar brand, the Cohiba Behike trio of fat, pigtailed smokes, are now on sale in Canada. The cigars officially went on sale on July 21 at a golf event.

Behikes are very expensive smokes, selling for $30 to $45 apiece in Mexico and Switzerland, but Canadian taxes push their prices to eye-popping levels. One BHK 52, the slimmest (and cheapest) of the trio, sells for 75 to 80 Canadian dollars ($71 to $76), the BHK 54 is C$89 to C$105 ($85 to $100) per cigar, and the BHK 56 sells for about C$115 ($110). That's C$1,150 ($1,100) for a ten-count box.

Despite the stratospheric prices, Cohiba Behikes are selling out, even in Canada. "They sell out pretty quick—they go real fast," said one Canadian retailer. Added another: "We're on our second round of them. We have a few of the 52s, and we have 17 [left] of the 56. We sold out of the 54s pretty quickly."

I have had access to what was reported to be the pre-release Behike's early this year which came in a traditional Cohiba wrapper. I had the 56,54 and 52's. Friends poo pooed the likelihood that they were real and as time went by, I eventually had a chance to but the labeled versions. I loved the 54's in both versions they smoked identically. Has anyone else heard of such a version? I am very curious tl learn if I have been dooped.